My explanation to the issue I’m having is located in my reply below. The following is left behind just for fun.
I just received my Burke Brass D session. I love it!
However, I’ve got some issues. I noticed that compared to the Generation D I have, it requires a bit more air. This is something I have to get used to, right?
The instructions says that I should clean the head with soap solution and not to rinse with water, but letting it dry. Why can’t I just wash in soap water and rinse?
Oh, and I can use tuning slide/cork grease for the o-rings?
For your second question; letting the soapy water dry without rinsing helps prevent clogging. The soapy residue inside the windway allows the moisture to go through rather than gathering in the windway.
Is it me, or is it that I think something is awkward?
On my Burke D, I noticed that in the second octave, the jump in air requirements from the A to B note is a lot. When I reach the highest D note, I find myself using a lot of air (and my mandibular are pretty much sore now). Is it supposed to be like this? The other notes’ air requirements seem fine.
I have a new style DBSBT and it takes a but of push and control on the high end, but not what I’d consider difficult. Generations are completely different animals than the Burke brass session and require very little air, so I think it’s just a case of being used to the Gen and having to adapt to different whistles like the Burke which requires more air.
On a side note, I’ve found that many beginning or inexperienced players tend to “blow from their throats” rather than from their guts and this can not only cause sore faces but also makes it difficult to hit high notes that require more push. I’m not saying this is what you’re doing but when you play, be aware of where the push is coming from. Just make sure you’re relaxed and gathering your air flow from the gut. When I first began playing whistle I thought I was doing great and bought a Susato Kildare D. I couldn’t hit the high A and B notes to save my neck so put it in a drawer and stuck with my easier playing whistles. A while later I got in with a large group of trad players including some excellent whistle players who were a huge help. Working with them I discovered I wasn’t blowing from my gut and after learning to blow from deeper down, my whistle playing improved dramatically. While rummaging through some drawers about a year later, I found that Susato I couldn’t play, picked it up and had absolutely no problem hitting the high A and B notes. I still use that whistle on occasion and now plays easily.
I’d suggest playing only the Burke for a while and get used to the air requirements. Don’t bounce back and forth between the two whistles. Once you get used to the Burke and feel comfortable with it, then go back to the Gen. At first you’ll most likely overblow it but should soon re-adapt to its air requirements. This is a very important learning process. Good experienced players can pick up any high D whistle and within a few seconds be able to determine the air requirements and make it sing. Being able to do this is especially important when playing in a band and using several different whistles and comes from experience and playing many whistles over time.
Also, Mike strongly suggests never washing or soaking (submerging) any part of the whistle itself since the soapy water can get into small crevices and possibly cause buildup problems. At least this is what he told me. When you clean the windway, do it exactly as his instructions indicate. I use an eyedrop bottle with purified water and a little Dawn liquid so I can place drops directly into the windway and not have it running all over the place. I have to admit I don’t do this often. I do, however, periodically keep the windway free of crud by either running a piece of business card or something similar in and out a few times or using canned air with an extension tube.
But for the washing part, I’ve just broken the rule two times. For this build-up thing, will it affect sound? Oh, and what kind of crevices are we talking about? And, does Gut = Diaphragm?
In the instructions sheet, it says that we can clean the shaft of an aluminium one with Isopropyl alcohol. Can we do the same to brass?
Hi, Michael Burke here:
Ballyshannon’s explanation is so perfect, I will not disturb a note of it, but agree that different whistles have a different feel to them and it is common for some people to blow using their thoracic muscles instead of using the diaphram. Not a good idea when you are singing or playing a woodwind, because you have very little control or power doing either, but I see it commonly among beginning players. Low whistle players must give in and use their diaphrams, or conclude that they cannot play them. . Taking a Yoga class or Tai Chi will fix you up if you can’t breathe properly. These disciplines also promise better health and longer life, so you can play longer whistles longer too. .
The real reason I am posting, though is to say that you should never immerse a whistle in water. It might not do harm, but it can do absolutely no good and is likely to do harm. If you want to wipe out the insides use a thin cloth dampened with isopropyl alcohol. Clean the windway with the soap solution and blow it out and let it dry. If it is really clogged, soak a pipe cleaner in the soap solution and rod out the windway and then drip it in and blow it out again and you will be all set. A bit of soap residue serves to prevent oils from your saliva from sticking to the windway surfaces and causing clogging.
Do not use alcohol on brass or it will cause rapid tarnishing. Aluminum likes a nice rubdown with the alcohol, though. For brass, use brass polish, if you like it shiny, and if you like the “patina”, just let it age and enjoy!
Hope this clarifies any questions, but if not, please feel free to email me any time
All the best
Mike
I’d posted a reply here but came back later and realized Mike was in the process of replying at the same time and beat me to it. So I humbly bow to his input and have removed my original reply. Nothing like hearing it from the maker and Mike always answers any and all questions we Burke players may have. Thanks, Mike. Good advice as always.
Ahhh.. My whistle maker! Hello there! (Sorry, I’m only aged 17, new to ITM and very inquisitive and eager.) Before I go on, thanks Michael for making such a wonderful instrument for me. I appreciate your effort very much.
I think I’ll have to get on with the soaped-windway then. I’ll just hope I’ll stop my habit of reverse-blowing (yeah? sucking the air back in).
I think this is slightly embarrassing. I’ve spent time in a school band so I know the importance of using the diaphragm. Though I’ve not played for about 3 years, so it’s back to kindergarten for me!
Now you’ve mentioned it, instrument tarnishing? Tell me about it. I live in Singapore where the high humidity here (where pretty much its mostly 70-100% R.H.) and I managed to get the ‘well-played look’ in 3 hours…
. Taking a Yoga class or Tai Chi will fix you up if you can’t breathe properly. These disciplines also promise better health and longer life, so you can play longer whistles longer too. 
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